Heirloom Blooms

Summer is a short season here and I find myself spending what little free time I have in my garden and almost everything else gets put off. I still have two weeks of school left before summer vacation starts. I've missed two carnivals that I really wanted to participate in. I've been trying to catch up with everyone's else's blogs whenever I get a minute or two early in the morning or late in the evening. I've been transcribing letters during my wait time and breaks at work. I seem to be at the same place I was last summer. I've decided to take this summer off and work on some major projects that I've put off for far too long - both in the house and out in the garden.



In an effort to tie family history to my gardening passion I'm sharing these pictures of my heirloom peony. We moved into the house where my mother still lives in 1964. As long as I can remember there were three peonies spaced out along the property line in the back yard. I have no idea if Mom planted them or if they were there when we moved in. Over time two of them them died. The last one was cut down by the mower every year after it finished blooming and not looking very robust so when I started my garden three years ago Mom let me dig it up and bring it here. I divided it into three plants, one in the butterfly garden and two on the far end of the house. Last year there were very few blooms but the plants started to look healthy. This year I was rewarded with beautiful blooms. Hopefully I can keep them healthy for another 20 or 30 years and pass them on to another family member.